Miami's Five Best Eats and Drinks this Weekend

If you think eating and drinking all week is irresponsible behavior, think again. While we all might be broke, underfed, and over-stressed, taking part in any kind of food-centric events helps us come back down to earth.

Hanging out with friends, sipping a fine wine, drinking a good craft, and noshing on a good snack really does help melt away all that damn stress we carry around throughout the week.

So do yourself a favor. Take a load off your back. Miami has five great suggestions for you.

Veritage Miami via Facebook

Veritage Miami

It doesn't get any better than when you get the opportunity to eat or drink (or do both!) a great cause. Naturally, Miami being the philanthropist city that it is, things like that aren't difficult to come by. Case and point: Veritage Miami. With a new name, new branding, and virtual facelift, The United Way Wine & Food Festival offers an array of food, wine, and beer events for almost every budget. Some events have already taken place, as the festival's events started Wednesday, but Friday night there is an interactive dinner with one of Miami's finest: Daniel Boulud and Michelin-rated Chef Davide Brovelli will partake in a silent auction and interactive dinner for guests. Saturday, Brovelli takes the reigns and hosts his own interactive dinner and silent auction. For more info on Veritage, or to scope it out for next year, click here.

Miami Rum Renaissance via Facebook

Miami Rum Renaissance Festival

Following the trend of new-and-improved, Miami Rum Renaissance Festival has also gone through a bit of expansion. The Miami Airport Convention Center at the Doubletree by Hilton will play host to the festival its guests this year. In years past, it's been held on South Beach. Organizer and rum aficionado, Robert Burr says parking was a huge issue for patrons. At the convention center, however, there are 1,700 spaces to park cars, and the event space is larger as well. Expect to see more than 200 rums, seminars, cocktail competitions, and lifestyle exhibits. Tickets cost between $50 and $65. Click here to purchase.

Food Truck Roundup at Magic City Casino

On Saturday, Magic City Casino, in partnership with Burger Beast, will attempt to set a Guinness Book World Record for the largest food truck caravan ever. Over 65 food trucks are expected to show and at 4:30 p.m., a caravan will take place for two miles with police escort. Admission is completely free to the event, food prices vary by truck. There will be dunk tanks, and iPad raffles benefitting St. Baldrick's Foundation to help kids with cancer. Plenty of free parking will be available. The event starts at 5 p.m. at 450 NW 37th Ave., Miami.

Porktastic news, y'all. Cochon 555 is and it's going to be better than ever this year at the Four Seasons. We know it's difficult to think that last year's best food event could get any better, but expect it. Because it'll happen. Five chefs will compete in a battle of the breeds with heritage pigs, expert flavors, and rockin' creativity. Chefs Aaron Brooks, Timon Balloo, Jeff McInnis, David Thompson, and Cesar Zapata have all spent the last few days brining, dry rubbing, and curing their oinkers for guests of Cochon to eat, and decide on a winner by popular vote. Expect pork ice cream to make a comeback, kickin' pork chops, head cheese, stuffed trotters, and surely, some form of Southern barbecue. There will be an afterparty after the event where guests can move up to the terrace at Edge Steak & Bar to unwind and have some more fun.

Miami Eats: The Art and Science of How Miami Grows, Cooks and Eats Food

You know the human race is going down a good path when eating is considered a science. Or, at least an interest of the Miami Science Museum. We'll take either. Saturday, from 10a.m. to 5 p.m., Miami Science Museum will be hosting food exhibits, cooking demos and classes, fruit and veggie painting classes, a film about sustainable fisheries, and more. It's a great event to take the kids to. Tickets cost $12.70 for Dade County residents ($14.95, otherwise), and if you bring two cans of nonperishable food, you get a ticket for free. For more info and ticket pricing, click here.